Democrats' Provocative Iowa Dinner Conversation — In the space of an hour this weekend, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.), using some of their most pointed and forceful rhetoric of the campaign, framed in stark terms the choice for Democrats deciding their party's presidential nomination.

Obama is Not the Anti-Hillary — Anyone thinking Mr. Obama is the anti-Hillary, so to speak, needs to pay attention and find another candidate. Quickly. This guy is so far off the Democratic party reservation I don't know where he's planting his primary flag, but it's nowhere a progressive Democrat or our party should willingly go.

Yepsen: Obama's superb speech could catapult his bid — The six leading Democratic presidential candidates showed up for the Iowa Democratic Party's big Jefferson Jackson Dinner on Saturday night, and five of them gave very good speeches. — Barack Obama's was excellent. It was one of the best of his campaign.

Journalism as Sadism — Garance Franke-Ruta reports from Iowa on the Village's field trip: "The joke last night at the Hotel Fort Des Moines bar is that the last thing you want to do the morning after a potentially-momentum generating speech is go on Meet the Press with Tim Russert, because he's such a tough questioner."

Over There — and Gone Forever — BY any conceivable measure, Frank Buckles has led an extraordinary life. Born on a farm in Missouri in February 1901, he saw his first automobile in his hometown in 1905, and his first airplane at the Illinois State Fair in 1907.

Lions for Lambs...Slaughtered — Looks like the Saturday night box office estimates are in and while Lions for Lambs basically doubled its take from Friday, $6.7 million in box office is only good for 4th place. — A distant 4th place: Bee Movie grossed $26 million, American Gangster $24 million, and Fred Claus $19 million.

Cops: Ex-U.S. Rep. Sweeney drove drunk — Click byline for more stories by writer. — CLIFTON PARK — Former U.S. Rep. John Sweeney was charged with drunken driving early this morning after a traffic stop on the Northway, State Police said. — The arrest was the latest embarrassment …

Ron Paul's record in Congress — by Dave — In the comments thread to my previous post on Ron Paul, the indispensable Trefayne compiled a series of posts on Paul's track record as a congressman, particularly those bills he sponsored or co-sponsored. — Here's Trefayne:

US strike on Iran 'not being prepared' — The Pentagon is not preparing a pre-emptive attack on Iran in spite of an increase in bellicose rhetoric from Washington, according to senior officers. — Admiral William Fallon, head of Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East …

'I'll Sell My Soul to the Devil' — Corruption Scandals Involve Alaska's Biggest Political Names — ANCHORAGE — When the FBI came looking for corruption in Alaska politics, it found an excellent perch in Suite 604 of the Baranof Hotel in Juneau, the state capital.

31% Want Cheney Impeached — Thirty-one percent (31%) of Americans say that Vice President Dick Cheney should be impeached and removed from office. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 40% disagree while 29% are not sure. — Among Democrats, 51% say the Vice President …

Sullivan on Obama — I should've taken Charles Kaiser's advice and skipped Andrew Sullivan's cover story for The Atlantic, about how Barack Obama is the second coming of Christ. It is a stunningly bad piece of work — reductive, overwrought, bloated, and, perhaps above all, patronizing.

So Happy Together — Bill archenemy Richard Mellon Scaife now has 'admiration' for him. Huh? — David Lienemann / Getty Images — A New Game Plan: The Clintons made quiet attempts to disarm their most vocal opponents — Bill Clinton is never at a loss for company.

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